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B-Boys/B-Girls have always led the way in terms of street wear. For these dancers, staying ‘fresh’ is imperative. They were, and always the superstars of the party.

Rap-architect KRS-One once said, “[Being] Hip-Hop is to be updated and relevant.”
In other words, it means to be ‘in,’ and know what’s ‘current’–a mentality that Breakers embody in their apparel.

According to Rob Lammie of mental_floss, sneakers boomed in the late ’70s with the increasingly popular Hip-Hop culture, and the emergence of B-Boys. Sneakers got their first global attention through classic Run DMC music videos, but many of us don’t realize that it was the B-Boy dancers who influenced their infamous no-lace style. These party rockers were obsessed with customizing their shoe lace colour and thickness; if they were into Adidas, the classic stripes would be filled in with markers.

When we rock the floor, our sneakers plays a major role in adding that extra ‘flavour’, and that subtle ‘extra’ makes us unique and stand out. For us, our social norm is all about ‘survival of the freshest’.

Dancers of the Hip-Hop mentality basically have an OCD for/not being copied. Nothing irks them more than being ‘bitten’. It has become our duty to flip what’s been done and over-played, including ourselves, thus always striving to earn that unwritten ‘street credit’.

We are artists, innovators. Our body is our canvas and it’s not just what we put on it, but also in addition to how we move and shape it. Hence the term, “it’s not what you wear, but how you rock it.”

The clear difference to this day, between how Breakers wear their outfits, and those that shop in fast-fashion industries, is the intention and energy behind their threads.

LIVE•FOR•THE•FUNK

DIE•FOR•THE•FUNK

HIP-HOP: This is my culture, our culture, and your culture, too, if you want.

Wait – Hip-Hop… MUSIC?

No, Hip-Hop CULTURE. A culture that exists in communities all across the globe, no matter their size or economical status. They also exist in our very own city: Vancouver, Canada. Most people are unaware of this movement because, by its very nature, it is what we would describe as an ‘underground hood.’ In other words, you have to be involved with the culture to know what’s happening, but EVERYONE is welcome here…

In brief, Hip-Hop is a lifestyle movement started in the early 70s, in the Boogie Down Bronx, NY; it is first and foremost about community. DJ Afrika Bambaataa, one of the Godfathers of Hip-Hop, states: “Hip-Hop is about peace, love, unity, understanding and having fun. Understanding being Knowledge.” Bambaataa promotes the idea that Hip-Hop exists to bring all nations together, under one house. This Hip-Hop ‘house’ is supported by 4 main pillars of art: (in chronological order) Graffiti Art (visual), DJing (audio turntablism), MCing (oral rapporté), and Breakin’ (physical).

Breaking is not what we do, it is who we are.

I, myself, primarily represent the dance element. WE are called B-Boys and/or B-Bgirls and breaking is not what we do, it is who we are.

What grinds my gears: two misconceptions

1.) I cannot stress this enough, it is NOT called breakdance or breakdancing. ‘Breakdance’ is a label and term coined by the media in the 80s; unable to fully understand this craft, they needed a name that made sense to the general public. The powers of media continue to use this syllogism today for mass appeal: a generalization of things they know nothing about. If they want ratings and followers, it has to relatable and make sense to the masses. It’s the same system that controls most of us to this very day.

I suppose ‘breakdancing’ is almost like an onomatopoeia of what we do. The bulk of media features images of amateurs who are crashing themselves on the floor. I guess ‘break’, and ‘dance’ together would seem logical to the public eye.
And that leads me to my next grind:

– and we call that the Funk.

2.) We are not people who artfully hurt ourselves and are constantly found rolling around, mopping the floor. The B-Boy or B-Girl approach to dance is finesse, originality and something called ‘flavour’. It may be labeled as style – but we call it flavour. We get ‘hype’ when we break and, the philosophy is to express that explosive, creative energy, without once losing composure, all the while remaining in the pocket of the music. The ‘pocket’ refers to the groove – and we call that the Funk.

Again, this is a lifestyle. We breathe this culture.

Although I may focus mainly on the dance element, it takes the pursuit of community and knowledge to fully understand Hip-Hop’s roots. Only by understanding where this has come from and how, can we start to build upon this legacy. In my opinion, Hip-Hop is a nation of people who believe in one thing: we are all under one house. There is no other religion or nation out there that has zero prejudice for different beliefs; EVERYONE is welcome under this umbrella. I truly believe in this movement. Every community needs it. Hip-Hop is an artistic outlet suitable for anyone no matter their age or status. The culture bases itself upon bridging communities through art – imagine a world where rivalry and dispute are settled through creative expressions!

I’d like to add that Hip-Hop saved my life, too, and I feel indebted to sharing its positive powers… but that is a story for another day.